


The Honey Bee Inn

by Starlightgazed



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Clerith, F/M, Honey Bee Inn, Post shinra AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:42:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24551800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starlightgazed/pseuds/Starlightgazed
Summary: I was given the prompt: Cloud and Aerith both working in a brothel and falling in love with each other. So here is Cloud Strife working at the Honey Bee Inn and instantly falling in love with the new Honey-Girl audition.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 7
Kudos: 45





	The Honey Bee Inn

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying to gain inspiration back, so I hope y'all enjoy this short one shot I wrote ! :)

The Honey Bee Inn was the heart and soul of Wall Market. It was no secret as to what type of establishment it was. Among the mysterious perfume of honey and glittering lights was an EX-SOLIDER who was down on his luck. Sure the work wasn’t exactly ideal for Cloud, but what else was there for him to do? With Shinra being dismantled by the group AVALANCHE there wasn’t much mercenary work out there. 

Andrea Rhodea found Cloud and instantly fell in love, so he kindly gave Cloud a job. The EX-SOLIDER wasn’t very keen on using his body for uh- that- type of purpose, but he caved in thanks to Andrea’s persuasive speech. 

He had been working at the Honey Bee Inn for almost a year now, and he was very popular. Something about his shy and mysterious cool-aloofness attracted many different customers of different backgrounds and genders. In a way working at the Honey Bee Inn was a healing experience towards Cloud’s confidence, because he was constantly being praised and worshiped. It was the comfort of a stranger's touch that felt like it was mending the broken doll Shinra had left him.

It was almost enough to heal his hollow heart, but wasn’t quite enough. There was still a part of him yearning for something _more_. 

Then he saw her, and his whole world shifted. 

Andrea had valued Cloud’s “eye for beauty,” and asked him to sit in at this audition for new Bee’s. She walked in and her emerald eyes had captured his heart in an instant. Andrea gave a scruitness “hmm” at her appearance. She had been wearing a form fitting pink dress and dark wine colored jacket, she looked like a simple farm girl to any passerby. But her face was angelic to Cloud. Her plump pink lips looked so innocent yet inviting and he couldn’t help but stare.

“Name?” Andrea asked the girl.

“I’m Aerith. Aerith Gainsborough.” She stated.

Her voice rang into Cloud’s ears with a mischievous tune. He couldn’t explain why his chest felt so tight, but he knew he couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

“Alright Miss Gainsborough, show us what you can do,” Andrea gestured for her to begin dancing.

Her movements were somewhat childlike, the way her skirt would flap as she twirled her body reminded him of a younger girl. But, when she stopped spinning and made eye contact with Cloud, he felt frozen on the spot. 

“She’s a bit plain looking...But there’s something there….What do you think Cloud?” Andrea leaned over and asked him.

“She’s...Gorgeous…” he uttered out, slightly flustered.

“Oh?” Andrea’s eyebrows quirked up at the blonde’s response. Andrea took a look at Cloud’s face and could see the hearts within the young boy’s eyes. All he could do was smirk with happiness and maybe a bit of mischief.

After Aerith finished dancing, Andrea, Cloud, and the other two Bees that were there applauded her. “Alright Miss Gainsborough, that was lovely, thank you.”

As Aerith was about to bow and take her leave, Andrea continued speaking, “As someone who wants to work here as a Honey-Bee, I would hope you understand that you would have to entertain some guests more intimately than others… I would like you to demonstrate how you behave to those customers with this Honey-Boy here right next to me,” Andrea explained and gestured towards Cloud.

Cloud instantly felt his face go hot and his chest constrict by holding his breath. “Umm… Sure thing!” Aerith said and smiled and she approached Cloud.

He was sitting so she was towering over him, but she bent forward more towards him and he caught a glimpse of her cleavage by mistake. Her smiling face may look innocent, but there was so much mischief behind those glowing green orbs and smile. 

“Hmm? You look a bit flustered mister, it’s okay,” she then grabbed one of his hands with both of hers and held them close, “There’s nothing to be nervous about.”

Her words sounded reassuring, but Cloud let out a shaky breath at her kind nature. She then took a seat next to him, still holding his hand.

“My, your hands are so gentle, but still have so much power,” she said while examining his palm. He shivered slightly as she traced her small nails down the center of his palm.

“What’s your name cutie?” She looked up at him with a smile that reached to her eyes.

“C-Cloud,” he cleared his throat as he spoke albeit nervously.

“That's a beautiful name! It suits you very well… Your eyes are like the color of the sky.” She continued flirting with him and his heart kept hammering in his chest.

No one ever really has told him his eyes were beautiful before. Most people, including customers, looked at his eyes with pity for it was a badge of shame that came working with Shinra. 

“Say Cloud… Would you like to spend some more time with me? I’ll make sure you feel safe… Like a bodyguard if you think of it that way!” Her smile was like a flower. It bloomed a love he never knew he could feel in his heart. And in that very moment. He was addicted to it.

After Andrea had cut her off, he congratulated Aerith and gave her the job. Cloud didn’t know whether to feel happy or sad about it.

But a few days after he had caught sight of her at a rehearsal in her new Honey-Bee uniform, and needless to say his mouth watered a little bit. The sight of her long fishnet covered legs were running marathons inside of his brain’s fantasies. 

Andrea had teased Cloud by telling him that ‘he’s welcome to the merchandise with an employee discount.’ Cloud had just shook his head trying to remain cool, but his brain just kept forming even more fantasies of the brunette girl.

Aerith had spotted Cloud while they were taking a break during rehearsal. 

“Oh hey! Nice to see you again!” She walked up to him practically glowing.

“H-hey um...Aerith right?” He tried his best at being conversational.

“You remembered! Well what do you think? Does this suit me?” Aerith asked as she gestured to her new Honey-Bee uniform.

Cloud tried his best not to creep her out by staring at her too hard, “Um, that's really….”

“Hmmm?” She leaned forward and tried to peer up at his embarrassed face.

“You’re really uh…..Pretty,” he scratched the back of his head.

Aerith felt herself go flush at his genuine compliment. She giggled and bit her lip, “Thank you, Cloud.”

As one of the other Honey-Bees went to pull her away for more practice she stopped and looked back at Cloud, “Say Cloud...Do you maybe wanna hang out after work?”

He had never been asked out so boldly by one of his coworkers before, but he was so glad it was with Aerith. 

“Um...yeah definitely!” He all but choked out.

“Great, looking forward to it,” she gave him a wink and a smile and skipped off back to work.

It was the beginning of Cloud fully becoming normal again. And boy he felt like the luckiest man in the world to score a date with the most beautiful new Honey-Bee.

**Author's Note:**

> As always you can follow me on twitter @Starlightguh for more insight on writing and randomness ^^


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